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All posts for the month December, 2011

First of all Merry Christmas to the Lads!!!! Thanks for a great game this year , ive really enjoyed it!!

Off the Subject , Waylander was of course first with Jon shannow a close second , It looks like Corik wants to play a Gunslinger next then hehe!!!

It was a pretty exctiting night for combat , the characters were stuck in the cellar of the terrible Ogres house , with no time to rest and regain spells

the characters used herbs and potions to bring there hit points back up, Corik uses his LAST healing spell to bring the rangers back in consciousness.Shallelu and Her Step father REUNITE , after an awkward meeting , AND corik overhears their story.

Jakardros Sovark

Jakardros lost his eye to a close call with an ogre hook a decade ago.For many years second-in-command of Fort Rannick under Captain Bayden, Jakardros saw his commander carried off by the ogres just as his patrol arrived at Fort Rannick—too late to aid in its defense. He lost a third of his men in an attempt to retake the fort, and when they were forced to flee south into Kreegwood, the remaining men were easy targets for the Grauls. Jakardros carries the loss of Fort Rannick heavily and feels it was his fault that the ogres were able to take it. Had he been a bit more prompt on his patrol, he would have been back in time to help defend the place. But he wasn’t, and now a 45-year tradition is dead.

When Jakardros was younger and before he joined the Black Arrows, he spent a few years as an adventurer. His group eventually ended up in the region around the Mierani Forest, where they helped a small village of elves defeat a group of murderous ettercaps led by a green dragon. Jakardros’s adventuring companions all perished in the fight, giving their lives for the elven community of Crying Leaf. Jakardros was nursed back to health by an elven priestess of Desna there, and the two of them fell in love. Jakardros would have lived the rest of his life in Crying Leaf had not his lover, Seanthia, herself perished when the village was attacked by the resurrected dragon three years later. With Jakardros’s aid, the town defeated the dragon again, but Jakardros was too broken-hearted to remain. He gathered his belongings and, within minutes of the dragon’s death, left Crying Leaf behind him, along with the sorrowful task of attending to Seanthia’s funeral. His heart hardened, he eventually heard of the Black Arrows and applied for membership, hoping that service

Vale Temros

Vale is a dark-skinned man with piercing gray eyes. At a towering height of 6–1/2 feet, his build and musculature consigned him to the warrior’s path at an early age. Despite his stature, Vale is a quiet and withdrawn man whose passion for life only wakens during the heat of battle. Vale was born into the Order of the Black Arrow; both his parents were members, as were his two younger brothers. All of them are now dead, slain either years ago (in the case of his parents) or weeks ago (in the case of his brothers) by various Kreeg ogres. Vale’s oath of vengeance against the Kreegs has become the only thing holding him together over the past several days of torture and mind-numbing horror at the Grauls’ hands. Given the chance to strike back at the ogres, Vale siezes the opportunity with grim satisfaction. Apart from his prowess in battle, Vale also had a passing fancy for sieges and architecture, and spent many of his off hours in the fort talking with the resident architect, a now-dead man named Drannis. Apart from battle, discussions about normally dry and boring topics like engineering and buildings are among the few times that Vale breaks out of his taciturn shell to become excitedand animated

Kaven Windstrike

Kaven Windstrike, a handsome young man with dark hair and emerald eyes, has traditionally been able to get what he wants out of life via his good looks and smooth tongue. A wayward youth born to harried parents in Turtleback Ferry, Kaven’s antics finally got him in over his head when he assaulted and robbed an old goatherd who turned out to be a long-time family friend. Infuriated, his father was all but ready to press charges and have the boy taken south by the law to serve time in a jail in Ilsurian, but his mother managed to temper that reaction. Kaven was was given a choice: be disowned and spend time in prison, or seek membership among the Black Arrows. His father always admired the order, and figured if they couldn’t shape Kaven into an upstanding man, no one could. Kaven, balking at the thought of prison, chose the Black Arrows.

At first, the disciplined lifestyle did Kaven good, and he reformed into a respected and effective member of the order. However, when Lady Lucrecia opened Paradise’s gambling halls to the public a year ago, Kaven and two other Black Arrows snuck down to the barge one night to sample its offerings. It was enough to remind Kaven what he liked about the quick and exciting life of gambling, high risk, and crime. Kaven volunteered for the weekly southern patrol (a route most of the Black Arrows disliked due to its relatively boring route along the eastern shore of Claybottom Lake). Rather than spending his nights in Turtleback Ferry or Pendakus, though, he too to spending them at Paradise

The fights came hard and fast, but with the help of the rangers, some fine tank work by kolbi, some great healing by corik and some awesome kill stealing by Bris hehe!!!! The finally faced the now insane and utterly mad mama graul. The final conflict took place in the dank barn, she was summoning some sort of demon(s). All around her feet were small demons about the size of a small child, they spat a liquid napalm like substance, which dragged the characters minds back to an aged journal they found .It read

Corelings –

The origin of the corelings is an enigma to humankind, but legend suggests that corelings live by day in the Earth’s core and rise to the planet’s surface each night to feed. There are different types of corelings (known as alagai in the Krasian language), each associated with a particular element.Fire demons- small, cat-like creatures, fond of arson, and able to spit “demonfire”, a supernatural form of napalm. Wood demons- tall and powerful, with skin that camouflages them in wooded areas, though vulnerable to fire and thus antagonistic to fire demons. Wind demons- Small bodied but with large membranous wings, these demons hunt from the air silently and effectively but their wings also limit their movement on the ground Rock demons- massive powerful creatures, with rock-like, horny thick skin. Water demons- tentacled and unable to survive away from water. Sand demons- smaller versions of rock demons, which stand on all-fours and are the most commonly encountered demons in the deserts of Krasia where they hunt the sands in packsAll of these demons have magical abilities, including rapid healing, enhanced strength, and poisonous talons. Although primarily interested in their human prey, they are also prone to attacking one another, particularly when a more powerful coreling chances upon a smaller, weaker or wounded Variety.

The Characters finally rested that night , exhausted , covered from head to toe in blood, ogre faeces and muck, they revised spells and got on questioning the rangers about the fort, the characters know they must goto the depths of the forts catacombs to find out information about LaRIN /kARN , BUT ALSO THEY HAVE BEEN ASKED BY THE MAYOR OF MAGNIMAR TO SCOUT OUT THE FORT AND RETURN IT TO MAGNIMARS CONTROL IF ANY THING HAS HAPPENED TO IT!!!!

WITH AN IQUISITOR IN THE PARTY HE SOON SNIFFED OUT DECEPTION AND THE FORT WAS BETRAYED BY KAVEN, AFTER BEING PUT TO THE QUESTION HE TOLD THEM EVERYTHING BEFORE CORIK SLIT HIS THROAT!

tHE GROUP NOW FIND THEMSELVES TRAVELLING BACK TO TRUTLEBECK FERRY TO MAKE PLANS ON HOW TO TAKE THE FORT BACK !!!!

As the PCs prepare for their journey, they are contacted by a familiar face—the elven ranger Shalelu Andosana. The PCs first encountered Shalelu during “Burnt Offerings,” when she brought Sandpoint more news about the goblin threat. She joined with the group to face the goblins, n any event, Shalelu’s learned that the PCs are heading east to ort Rannick, and she would like to accompany them on their journey.

Of course, Shalelu’s got her own reasons for wanting to make he journey to Fort Rannick. One of the rangers stationed here, a man named Jakardros, was at one time her mother’s over. Shalelu’s memories of Jakardros are mostly of a young, xuberant man. She wasn’t sure what her mother saw in theimpulsive young human, but she was glad he was there for her. hen her mother was slain in a dragon attack, Jakardros left uddenly and without explanation, leaving Shalelu with a bitter.

Shalelu Points out some areas of interest on there long journey to fort Rannick

Hook Mountain Region

The area south of Hook Mountain is dominated by thick forests, akes, and the swamps known as the Shimmerglens. While “The hook Mountain Massacre” focuses on a few specific locations in this region, curious PCs could easily find more adventure here if they look. .

Bitter Hollow Bitter Hollow is a filthy, remote thorp of about 50 hunters and trappers and their families. A single trading post called the Gator’s Nest sits in the center of this settlement, andregular trade with the gnomes of the nearby Sanos Forest means that there are often unexpected items to purchase here.

Claybottom Lake : The fishing in Claybottom Lake is always good, but fishermen are quick to warn newcomers about the nightbelly boas, ravenous giant gars, and deadly giant snapping turtles that infest the lake’s western reaches.

Kreegwood

: Named for the ogres of Hook Mountain, although those who dwell in this woodland are mostly the halfhuman results of ogre lusts. The ogrekin that dwell here bicker among themselves, and rarely cause problems to outsiders. Anyone who ventures too far into these woods is fair game for dinner (or worse), though, so local villagers and hunters avoid this region entirely.

Lake Coal

: The waters of Lake Coal are dark with silt and

black algae. Fishing is poor in Lake Coal—not for the lack of fish,

but for the ferocity of the large dark gars that dwell therein.

Old Sanos Trail

: This narrow, claustrophobic forest trail winds deep into Sanos Forest, eventually connecting to several secluded gnome villages deep in the woods. Rumor holds that magic causes the trails to move when those who use them seek to bring trouble to the gnomes.

Pendaka

This tiny fishing thorp is perched on a rocky promontory overlooking the southern shores of Claybottom Lake. With its single combination inn/trading post, the Walleyed Wife, Pendaka’s only claim to fame is local baker Olam Keecher’s delicious cranberry turtle egg pies.

The Wicker Walk

: Built by the founders of Bitter Hollow in a successful attempt to encourage trade with the gnomes of Sanos Forest, the Wicker Walk is a local marvel. The three-mile-long boardwalk is hung regularly with long-burning pitch lanterns, and its often-creaking boards offer the only completely dry path across the Shimmerglens.

She has been a stalwart Member of the party , she fires her bow with an accuracy and speed unpresidented !!!!

Indeed the Characters continued through the horrible house of filth, Faeces smeared all over the walls , i have to admit i felt quite sick myself reading some of the stuff ou, here are the descriptions of a few of the key rooms again .

A4. Kitchen.This musty chamber smells of week-old meat and is thick with clouds of fat, greasy flies. Thumb-sized cockroaches dance along the walls, floor, and ceiling. A thick butcher’s block sits under three cruellooking cleavers hanging on a rack above. Bloodstained smocks of thick leather, one still dripping fresh gore, hang on bone-spur hooks by the door. A crockery platter of severed fingers and toes sits on a rickety old table next to a dried sinew basket overflowing with hacked-off hands and feet, all sporting stubs of congealed blood where their digits once were. A family of lucky rats gorges itself on the red stumps.

A5. Playpen This simple room is strewn with “toys,” some of carved wood or bone, while others appear to be little more than partial animal carcasses. Old bloodstains mark the walls, some in patterns that resemble crude child-like paintings featuring images of dismembered horses, a ridiculous grinning horned devil tossing children off a cliff, and a big lake with a black reptilian monster sprouting tentacles from its back. Bookshelves rest on the wall, but instead of tomes they hold skulls of all shapes and sizes. Creatures .

A6. Rukus’s Room . This filthy bedroom contains little more than a lumpy mattress heaped with twigs, mud, and hopefully little else, although the stink of sewage in the room would seem to indicate otherwise. Dozens of vaguely humanoid fetishes crafted out of bits of leather, straw, corn husks, twigs, and bones hang from cords throughout the room.

11. Skin Shucking Room This dark, recessed corner of the basement smells of rot and old blood. Piles of gore-spattered skin lie heaped on the floor. A horrid rubbery face robbed of its supporting skull and muscle rests on top, its toothless mouth agape and empty eyes revealing only the layer of tan flayed skin resting beneath.

A12. Hucker’s Lair

This low-ceilinged room features a floor of hard-packed earth stained in many places by blood and mold. A lumpy mattress lies heaped against the southwest corner, and what appear to be several half-finished chairs made of flesh and bone lie against the eastern wall.

After Killing a few of the groteque ogrekin children, they pitted the strong combat values against Hucker and his 2 Mutated donkey rats Chuckles and Drooler, but of course the family pet had to make its entrance Biggun, a gargantuan funnel web spider entered the frey , the combat was close , but of course through good tactics and awesome dice (added with my crap dice rolls) , they pulled through, and finally found the remaining 3 rangers , unconsciuos, the characters are in a bad way , 3 of them have fungal fever, the cleric is out of his wits , losing over 18 sanity , they have no spells , 2 of them have stat loss and are holed up on the basement.

All along shallelu has been telling the characters something is going on outside, the last thing she said is “I cant be certain , but i think they may be summoning something ?”

When Bris Shouts down he has found the Rangers, Shallelu goes very quiet and seems aprehensive ?

This giant decaying farmhouse covered in moss slumps drunkenly at the edge of the damp forest clearing. Rickety stairs crawl up to a porch covered by a huge eave held aloft by thick pillars of pine. These timbers are decorated with crude carvings of manticores impaling children with their tail spikes and women being ripped apar by wolves. The carvings look like a child’s work, but the subject matter grows more gruesome and depraved from one depiction to the next. An unsettlingly large rocking chair of lashed wood and bone sways erratically in the breeze at the far end of the porch under a vast menagerie of wind chimes composed of decidedly humanoid bones. The house’s windows have all been boarded up with thick timbers, although it’s unclear if this was done to keep intruders out or imprison whatever unspeakable things make their home within.

The characters looked around and Bris had disappeared………… But where had he gone ????

The Door to huge barn opens and a huge deformed shape comes lumbering out of the barn, he spots the characters and charges!!

The characters Despatch the Ogre , but catch a terrible disease called Fungal Fever , which is caused by shit and muck coming in contact with the skin, Corik, Shallelu and Kolbi all catch it, making them take dex and con damage.

They wait and watch the house , about 10 minutes later another ogre appears from the house and throws some meat in the yard , a pack of 3 large mastiffs , start eating the meat in a frenzy, the ogre then throws a bucket of brown mush on the yard , and goes into the wood for a shit, once he is done he goes back into the farm house.

The character shot crossbows at the dogs , who charge them in a frenzy, from the barn , a figure covered in shit and blood emerges from barn, he seems to wince every time he takes a step . of course its Bris, but what has happened to him????

He charges the dogs and the PCs despatch them easily!!

They then enter the filth ridden farmhouse. The smell hits the characters as they enter , they make there way through a few traps and reach the room of the main ogre , the mighty Mama graul ,after a fight with her reincarnated zombie sons, mama graul takes bug damage and even when she is counterspelled twice , she gets away with her life barely intact , to regroup with the rest of her family.

Off the subject for just a moment: The characters worked out they own alot of property, they have :

a)A house Each in sand point

b)A town house and haunted manor in/near Maginimar

c)A wizards Tower in the frozen expanse on the way to Wartle

Back to the adventure :

A Most of Epic of fights ……………………………….

Travelling from The sunken boat back to the Village of turtlebeck ferry , the characters pic up some of the local Pies , Cranberry and Turtle meat ! They then spent the rest of the day doing research about the thassilon empire

Ways of the Empire

At its height, the Empire of Thassilon covered an area more than a thousand miles wide, from the oceans to soaring mountains, over deserts and along rivers—a region vast in scope and natural riches. This empire’s figureheads were the sons and daughters of Xin, but they were almost powerless. In practice, Thassilon was ruled by the seven powerful runelords, maniacal arcanists who used magic to fuel their own decadence. It’s unclear from records whether the same seven extended their lives over hundreds of years or their apprentices took their names and titles upon their masters’ deaths. Virtues of Rule: Stemming from the teachings of First King Xin and the goddess Lissala, the runelords held that wealth, fertility, honest pride, abundance, eager striving, righteous anger, and rest were the seven virtues of rule—rewards one could enjoy for being in a position of power. But the runelords soon abandoned the positive side of these traits and embraced greed, lust, pride, gluttony, envy, wrath, and sloth as the rewards of rule. Since the fall of Thassilon, the original seven virtues are remembered as the great sins of the soul, although only a few scholars who have studied ancient Thassilon know of their true sources.

Castes: Thassilon had two castes of people: the militia and the providers. The militia followed martial pursuits, and they praised battle and the simple pleasures in life. The providers were the farmers, miners, artists, and skilled craftsmen who were more mystical and, as a rule, less content under the runelords’ yoke. Today, the descendants of the militia caste exist as the Shoanti barbarian tribes of the Storval Plateau, while the descendents of the provider caste, the Varisians, are a nomadic people who still practice mystical traditions from Thassilonian times. Both peoples remember the tyranny of the empire—if not the wizards themselves, nor even the title “runelord”—in their histories and legends. Barbarian tales, passed on by storytellers for thousands of years, remember the runelords as the Azghat, a larger-than-life pantheon of war-bringers and punishers of the dishonorable. The Varisians remember the rulers of Thassilon as demons and speak of them only in hushed tones.

They then make there way to fort Rannick, they traverse a rope bridge and thenn see a broken sign pointing into the Kreegwood, they hear an animal in pain, at this shallelu run off with kolbi to investigate, they burst into a clearing and see an injured bear, shililu inform the party its a pet of a ranger or druid, as they try to free the bear they hear a gutteral singing from two what sound like ogres, each has a pack of 5 mastiffs , then a hug battle ensued

Rukus and his Brother The SLINGA are identical twins as depicted below

After a close fight the ogres were killed , amonst there meager possesions the characters found SLINGA`s favorite blanket (ratty, flea infested, and decorated with several Black Arrow insignias)

Corik half way through the fight had a weird turn, and found himself on the opposite path .

With the Battle Won, Kibb the bear is eager for the pathfinders to follow …………………………. where to they dont know…………………………………….